Taking the signal

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by MNBlue

I apologize - I wasn't very clear with my statement.

From the video, I can't tell if she is bringing her hands together and then simulating taking the sign or if she is putting the glove in front of her pitching hand to prevent the batter from seeing the ball and how she is gripping the ball.

If she is just hiding her grip and she does bring her hands together prior to delivering the ball, she is legal. When pitchers do this, sometimes it is very difficult to tell if their hands are separated or if they are together. My belief is that if we don't know she is illegal, then she is legal.

Though I do NOT want to get into the "presenting the ball" discussion, remember the reason the rule is in place. It is to give the batter a procedure to know when to prepare for the pitch. The prelude to the pitch includes taking a position with the hands separated, bringing the hands together. Only then can the pitch start when the hands separate.

No matter what the reason, the first part of that isn't evident to the two who need to see it, the batter and umpire.

And when on the plate and see what appears to be the hands together, do we permit that even though one may be behind the other and not together?

As I've told players before, if you fooled the other guy, you probably fooled me, too, but it is my judgment that counts